Weekend Diversion: Night Of The Ponies
Pedway, First Store Open At Block 37
Around Town
Around Town
Red-Light Cameras Not So Special?
We've only cried twice at rock shows. Once was when the Flaming Lips opened for Beck, and something about "Lightning Strikes The Postman" (was it the strobes? the bullhorn? the crowd's empathic explosion? we don't know) caused our tear ducts to let loose and lose control. The other time was Friday's Arcade Fire show at the Chicago Theatre, as we were surrounded by as unlikely a crowd as we ever expected to see rejoicing in the chords and rhythms of a ten-piece band that calls Canada their physical home, but shares the universally spiritual domain of questioning uncertainty about our place and our world with 99.9% of the populace.
Arcade Fire is quite possibly, no — most definitely — the best live band touring today. No other band brings together such a disparate crowd with their tales of religious abandon and human sadness that, inexplicably, end up being incredibly moving statements that attest to the affirmation of the struggle of getting through life on this planet. They are often compared to U2 in this respect, but when it comes to grand displays of deep emotional resonance, Win Butler and his clan left Bono and company in their wake long ago.
As the evening progressed, the aisles filled, and attendees seemed overtaken by St. Vitus' dance, writhing and hopping and clapping and hollering along to the band's exhortations. Only a stone golem would be impervious to this group's influence, and even then we'd be willing to bet our souls that Arcade Fire's live show would breathe life into even the most stubborn Pinocchio.
The thing about an Arcade Fire live show is that every member of the band is giving it their all every second they are on the stage. Even the female string players, left with agonizing expanses of time before being called into action, resembled possessed marionettes in the throes of constant orgasm, and this sensual fury was redoubled back at them by the majority of the crowd.
(At this point we would usually make a denigrating statement about the band, in fear of appearing to be too enamored of anything so pedestrian as a group of humans banging on skins and strings and keys, but even the band's slow lull of songs mid-set, which sent lesser souls streaming toward the bowels of theater to empty their, um, bowels, could not dampen the intensity of their attack.)
The band tore through most of Neon Bible and touched upon most of Funeral's favorites, and they kept the crowd rapt through more than 90 minutes and three encores. If there was a letdown to be noticed, it was that the band didn't pop up "unannounced" in the lobby post-show, even though about 200 faithful stood there chanting the wordless intro of "Wake Up" until the security guards (oh so politely, we might add) ushered everyone out into the warm spring evening. In fact, the only regret we truly have is that we didn't procure tickets to Saturday and Sunday's shows as well, since Arcade Fire is a group that has earned our devotion in the sacred belief that rock music can still exist to amplify our deepest emotions in all the best ways.
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Second paragraph: the "F" in Fire needs to be capitalized.
How was Intervention live? How'd they replicate that organ?
That song blows me away every time...
sissy
oh hey also, 4th paragraph, "sting players" should read "string players," i'm guessing.
I was slightly disappointed, because I saw them two years ago and they had done so much more in terms of stage theatrics back then. That is not to say I wasn't completely blown away by Friday's performance, so much so that I ended up getting a last-minute ticket to Sunday night as well (definitely worth it... they opened with Wake Up!). Friday night I was sitting next to a father and son. The son had to have been maybe 12 or 13 years old, and both father and son knew every word to every song. The entire experience was incredible.
there were only two encores.
you've got it right below but not above.
sheesh.
you kids copyedit around the chicagoist offices or what?
nate, thanks for catching those boo-boos.
doppler, they had a big ol' organ on the stage, howwever the tones from the organ apparently didn't mesh well with being micced, because that tune was the only time I personally noticed any sound problems.
quack, HAHAHAHAHA!
Stephanie, they opened with "Wake Up!"? Dang! I knew I should have gone Sunday too!
monkey, don;t blame our copy editor for not catching my boo-boos so early on a Monday ... but thanks for pointing them out!
Since we seem to be on a copy-editing kick today, it should read "through more than 90 minutes."
I must disagree. Simply put, (in my opinion) Sigur Ros is "the best live band touring today." If you saw them on their Takk tour you'd know my point of reference.
That's not to say the Arcade Fire are not one of the best - as you began to say before correcting yourself. They have all the elements - with their layers of composition and the lead singers amazing voice, and on stage their percussionists werestling each other to the ground while banging on anything that makes a sound - but some of their songs are a bit lackluster (say some of Neon Bible, ahem) providing their set with too many drawn out slow moments really lacking in energy.
I want to be captivated from start to finish and Arcade Fire don't quite do that yet. But even at the $40 price tag, they're still worth the price of admission.
Outstanding show. I too noticed the absence of "Wake Up" on Friday night and I was wondering if they would pop up in the lobby and play. Glad that didn't happen as I would have regretted not hanging around. There was a number of people who left our row in the balcony at the end of the first encore, only to return for the second. The cretins....
My only criticism of the show is I would have gladly hung around for another hour if they kept playing. Beautifully intense performance by a talented band.
Dear Chicagoist,
You have proven again why I can no longer count on you for anything of substance. I was at Saturday's show, but I thought the performance was just expectedly entertaining. Perhaps, it's because I've seen them twice before. Maybe because I finally realized how popular the band has grown. While Saturday evening I was only graced with one encore, I got to enjoy at least twenty trixies crying because they did not play their beloved "Wake Up." And though I am happy for the band's success, I can't help but wonder if these fans will eventually fade away. Perfect example being Pearl Jam's debut. Will Chicagoist still be listening to Arcade Fire eight albums down the line?
I should be glad you had a religious experience with the divine, but your review reads too much like a trip to the emotional thesaurus for me to even care.
"No other band brings together such a disparate crowd with their tales of religious abandon and human sadness that, inexplicably, end up being incredibly moving statements that attest to the affirmation of the struggle of getting through life on this planet."
"...even then we'd be willing to bet our souls that Arcade Fire's live show would breathe life into even the most stubborn Pinocchio."
WTF??? I can handle the occasional pitchfork review, but are you serious?
radiohead. all the intensity and craftsmanship of an arcade fire show without the gooey self-righteous residue.
Divinity and Humanity, indeed! Bravo my well-versed blogger. You've truly captured how one indie band can change the course of a human life. Even Carlo Collodi would have appreciated your reference to show the life the Arcade Fire infuses into all of us. Keep on blogging for the sake of all of us!
radiohead. all the intensity and craftsmanship of an arcade fire show without the gooey self-righteous residue.
Were Radiohead touring today, or if they'd even been publicly active in the last three years I might be inclined to agree with you ... but in my opinion they're not in the running until they start touring again.
oh hey also, 4th paragraph, "sting players" should read "string players," i'm guessing.
No, actually they had Pato Margetic, Rudy Glenn, and Karl Heinz-Granitza dressed in drag. It was sweet!
Steve, the review applies to Friday's show, I'm sorry partons Saturday night took away from your enjoyment of the band.
Racahel, yes, I'm serious.
Willie P, right on!
Jim, thanks.
Loved the show on Sunday, it had just about everything. If not the best live act, certainly way, way up there.
Dude, I like Arcade Fire too, but this review makes it sound like you put "Funeral" on repeat and pleasure yourself in the bathtub for hours.
Calm down...
That is a blatant falsehood. He's usually in the shower.
Radiohead not do anything for the last 3 years? Didn't they play a couple of shows at The Auditorium last summer as well as Bonnaroo?
Last night's show was absolutely amazing. absofuckinglutely amazing.
Arcade Fire: A Neon Bible Study
By David Buckna
(www.assistnews.net/Stories/2007/s07030103.htm)
Arcade Fire: A Neon Bible Study
By David Buckna
(www.assistnews.net/Stories/2007/s07030103.htm)